Ain't No Spring Chicken!

We are at Week #14 of 2013 and my blog posts this week are about one of LIFE'S simple pleasures ~ Spring.

I loved one of the quotes I found the other day by Henry Van Dyke, there is a difference between the first day of spring and the first spring day!!  It's a matter of how you put a spin on things, in all walks of LIFE don't you think???

In the mid-west we could say that a day with sunshine and blue skies with temperatures in the high 40s is a perfect Spring day!  Especially coming off a winter with 8" snowfalls and wind chills of below zero.  On  gorgeous day like today, someone in the southwest might think our spring weather is their winter and be freezing their tootsies off in their leather cowboy boots!

 

The Spring equinox which started on March 20, 2013 at 7:02 am is the beginning of nature's renewal. It's really simple to enjoy spring when you take a moment out of you busy day and stop to really listen to the new sounds and observe animal behaviors and the way that the plants grow.

I may no longer be a 'spring chicken' but I truly realized this year and writing this blog ... that LIFE is simple when you live SIMPLY.  Being in Week #14 of this year has been an amazing journey and I can't wait to see what's around the corner.

Thank you for letting me share my he♥art.  Creating whimsical paper crafts with a twist of LIFE has been such a blast for me. My creative greetings are for sale by the way.  You wont find anything like them at the Hallmark store, and my prices are quite reasonable. Just think a bit in advance *wink* have any extra ordinary people in your life that are celebrating special events?  Help a small business grow!!!! :0)

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions and the roots SPRING up and make new trees ~ Amelia Earhart

PS ~ I'm still in 'blogover' mode, so when you come back and visit me.... things may look a little different... just like me, a little quirky and odd, but loyal to the end!

Now go out there and BRIGHTEN SOMEONE'S DAY!

Please Pay Attention!

I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen. ~ Anne Lamott

I think this quote sums up a lot of what I'm trying to do here, this year on my blog... Year of LIFE'S Simple pleasures.  I want to pay attention! The hard part is going to be having patients for those around me who didn't get the memo! (Pay attention while driving, use your turn signals... don't text... for those who stop in the middle of an aisle and don't realize people are behind them.... pet peeve list)

 

Bright flowers popping up are always a sure sign of Spring!

 

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~ Henry Van Dyke

 

This is a great quote and so true!!  If you are reading this post today, April 3rd.. look to the right column of my blog you will see a recently posted picture on Instagram of the bright blue sky in our neck of the woods.  It really looks like spring out... but the thermometer reads differently... 21 degrees, it's still pretty chilly 10 days into 2013 Spring.  For the mid-west the weathermen say we are about 15 degrees below 'normal' for this time of year.

Gnome sweet Gnome

Week #14 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - Spring

Fun little whimsical gnomes will soon be peering up through their hidden holes in my garden.  These funky little guys add a simple charm to my secret garden.

Spring is nature's way of saying "Let's Party" ~ Robin Williams

Rite of Spring, Spring Fever, Spring Chicken, Spring Break, Spring Training... Spring Cleaning!!! 

When the day comes to SPRING Clean my garage I hope it's a bit warmer than the 32 degrees in there now.  Heavy duty top to bottom cleaning is something I really do look forward to.  As our family changes and ages... some of the 'stuff' needs to be sent packing!  So, here is a before picture in one corner of the garage. It just feels right in my soul to clean un-used items out and organize what's left!  It saves time and money if everything has a place, and every place has it's things!

Here's to Spring!! 
Blossom by blossom the spring brings!!!

Brighten Someone's Day!

 

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Not one, but two cards featuring cuteness popping out of a terra cotta pot!!

I have paper scraps bulging out of my craft room.  They must go!  I'm cranking out cards and using up the old paper.... backgrounds and frames, punch art and inside pretties.  You know you like my cards.  Support a small business!  :0)

Both of these cards are doodled, but you've got to realize there is a stamp and an artist somewhere behind it all.  I think the hedge hog above is by Penny Black.

Ok, since I'm making so many cards, you MUST have events coming up, you know of birthdays and anniversaries, special places you can give a 4 pack gift of fun and whimsical cards... place your orders now!!!

If you want... just click on my CARD blogpost (you can always find it in the yellow  creative greetings too! on the left column top) Pick out cards from my latest creative surge, or find a classic card that I have waiting in my stash!

Brighten Someone's Day!!!!

Send FuN Mail... with creative greetings!!!

Happy Spring

- It's like a heat wave

47 degrees and partly sunny

or is that partly cloudy

posting some oldies, but goodies

testing my new stand, and partial

window lighting

didn't know my supervisor wasn't in the office

until 1 pm,

couldn't go to the next task

so

I left early

on a friday to boot

Yay, it's the weekend!

Internet access Denied... not invented yet

- Wishing & Hoping
- Being the Artful Dodger

Found a cute little blog worth CASe-ing a few ideas. Homegrown Hospitality her style changes a lot, she goes from felt blooms, to paper to doodling sentiments. I figured I had punches and plenty of scrap paper, added a few doodles and dots on the petals, stems and leaves ... and I'd come up with some really cute spring time cards... that were simple... yet adorable!

Chattanooga Aquarium.... going to museums and fairs and amusement parks are all fun... but a waste for the little one's memories. The kids don't remember going here about 13 years ago. Oh, how I wish the technology of digital cameras was around for my babies!! But we did prop the camera up on the side... no tri-pod and Jeff came running around and climbed the rock wall to get the picture.

An original (copy) Huggy from 1992. I love my doodles. There I am in number 1 getting an idea from the card store (remember, no Internet back then)... No 2 I'm working hard at my drawing, with Bali-Hoo (our first puppy) at my feet, in no. 3 all Jeff has to do is sign the card... and then I put it out in the mail box...inside reads.... Happy Birthday from the both of us! It's hard to read... but my label ... Handmade exclusively 4 u, By Huggy. a tiny little division of the Artful Dodger co. 1992. I loved the character name Artful Dodger from the play Oliver. I'm artful and I was driving Dodge cars.... I always love a good pun!

Spring Time

Oh what a beautiful day! I'm so glad to report this! I could live here if the weather was like this 280 days a year. Mid 70s, glorious sunshine, blue sky and just a mild breeze with NO humidity. Perfect!!!!

This little bunny pretty much sums up my feelings, a good little friend, a beautiful flower made by God, and a good sniffer to stop and smell the flowers! Whipper Snapper case!

Hoping for Spring

I must say, although I try to make at least one card every day... the excitement and muse of creating at times recently is just not there! That is so sad, because I LOVE to make cards. I get bored making more than one of the same card. Maybe too, it's because it seems like it has been winter for so very long. So, I was just scanning through the Spring Supplement (on line) for TAC and saw this image. The stamen are glistening with Crystal Effects.